Northwest Indiana - Capital of Microbreweries

Many people don’t realize that Northwest Indiana is home to a small cottage industry of microbreweries. From Munster to Valparaiso and Michigan City to LaPorte – there are many microbreweries in northern Indiana to wet your whistle at.

Here’s a list of all the Microbreweries located on the South Shore of Lake Michigan near the Indiana Dunes. Many thanks to South Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau for providing me with some of this information.

Three Floyds Brewery
Munster, IN www.3floyds.com
Founded in 1996, Three Floyds is a small Artisinal craft brewery offering favorites such as their flagship beer, Alpha King; Robert The Bruce, Gumball Head and more. Many of their beers are world-renowned and award-winning brews. Brewery tours are available on Saturdays at 3pm. The brewpub also offers fresh food and a number of guest beers on tap and in bottles.

Crown Brewing Company
Crown Point, IN www.crownbrewing.com
This brewpub offers six to eight hand-crafted beers that are fresh and on tap. Seasonal specials are also found throughout the year. Housed in a renovated historical building off of the Crown Point Square, this location has become a quick favorite among beer-lovers.

Brickworks Brewing Company
Hobart, IN www.brickworksbrewing.com
Located in downtown Hobart, Brickworks offers fine ales and lagers and live acoustic entertainment every Thursday evening. Brewery tours are available on the weekends in the presence of the brewers. Brickworks is also housed in a historic building and offers lagers, pale ale, bock, porter, and seasonal beers.

Figure Eight Brewing
Valparaiso, IN www.figure8brewing.com
The South Shore’s newest brewery! Situated in the city of Valparaiso, Figure Eight is named after the knot used in sailing and rock climbing. So far, this brewery serves a Belgian Honey Lager, Imperial Red Ale, Nut Brown Ale, a Double Pale Ale and a complex rye brew.

Shoreline Brewery
Michigan City, IN www.shorelinebrewery.com
The brewpub offers a full menu and a dozen beers on tap at any given time. These include IPA’s, Brown and Scottish Ales, Porters and Oatmeal Stouts and Dopplebocks. The Beltaine Scottish Ale is the silver winner of the 2006 and 2008 World Beer Cup competition and is the number one selling beer at Shoreline.

Back Road Brewery
LaPorte, IN www.backroadbrewery.com
This brewery has been a “small brewery, serving big beers” since 1996. Seasonal beers available as well as lagers, bocks and ales throughout the year.

Also, coming in May for the first time in history – Crown Point is hosting a craft beer festival – The Illiana Mayfest.

From their site:

Come out to Crown Point’s 1st annual Craft Beer Festival. Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. At least thirteen breweries, our local homebrew club and a few distributors will be participating. You get to try all the beers at your leisure during the 4 hour event. See how beer is made, talk to brewmasters and drink delicious beer. Tickets will be available very soon! Hope you can join us in celebrating American Craft Beer Week! Cheers!

The Illiana Beerfest will be held May 22nd, from 4:00pm to 8:00pm at the Lake County Fairgrounds – where 14 breweries will be participating.